This has been a great week! I set out to be better at what I do, especially at it pertains to my intermediate students. There are some boys who like to be stinkers in my class; adolescent boys are tough. After talking to my boss (who used to have my job), she basically told me I need to do more relationship building exercises in my class. I did a little research, came up with a new plan and went to work. I think I made a little headway. A score for Mrs. Bilberry. I may not win them all over, but I'm certainly going to try.
Friday rolled around and I was back to my primary school working with the little guys, my forte. For some reason working with the littles is a cakewalk for me. Maybe it's because I have littles of my own. Maybe it's all those years doing daycare. Whatever it is, it just comes so natural. As my morning started another seasoned teacher popped into my room and told me how she has never seen the kids so excited to come to music. She expressed how glad she was that I was here teaching in this district. I just wanted to blush and cock my head and say, "Aw, gee, golly, shucks, thanks!" No really, it just made me feel good to be appreciated by other staff members, especially after some of the challenges I faced with some other teachers at the other school a few weeks ago. It also made me feel good to know what I do is really impacting the kids, especially after being challenged by the older ones the week before. It's almost as if God knew I need a little pick me up this week. A few words of encouragement to help me keep on trucking.
Later that day, another teacher stopped me in the hallway to compliment me on how much her children (Kindergartener twins) knew. This came to her attention when her mother in law (also a music teacher)heard her grandchildren sing "The Grand Old Flag" word for word, a task that has been hard for her own 4th grade students to master. Again, it was nice to hear all this.
However, I don't want to take all the credit. About a month into my new job, I began to reflect on that "natural" ability that I was speaking of a moment ago. I began to marvel at how things just come to me when I am in the midst of teaching that I just know are the right things, at the right time. Sometimes they aren't even part of my lesson plan, but somehow I know it's exactly what I need do to impact the kids and make their experience more fun. The ideas come to me just in the nic of time, almost by magic, and often when suddenly have 10 extra minutes to fill because my lesson ran faster than I expected. I know it's effective because they leave wanting more, to do it at recess, or to do it all over again when they come back. I am so blessed to teach something that by nature is stimulating and fun to children. The point is this, I feel God's presence when I'm in that classroom. It is so apparent to me and amazes me. He gently whispers to me ideas. He tells me how to handle situations that pop up as it pertains to teaching or behavioral management. I owe more of my success to him than anything. I am eternally grateful for his help in those classrooms, on my own I'd be so insufficient. I even notice on days I remember to pray for his help go better than days I don't. I know he's there with me . I can feel it. It's a wonderful feeling.
I wish I had thought of this when those women were giving me those compliments. I wish I would have been bold and spoke of this in front of them. Because if there's something I don't want, it's to be prideful and take all the credit. I am within God's will doing what I do, no doubt. I feel so incredibly blessed to have found my calling and be able to do it day in and day out; I have my bad days, but my good ones far outweigh the bad ones. I know people who are still searching for what it is they are meant to do. I really pray they find it. God will bless them if they do what it is that he calls them to do. It is truly the biggest blessing to do what you love, and love what you do.
